Judge pauses OC Fairgrounds sale after lawsuit

SANTA ANA, Calif. - SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) - A Superior Court judge has temporally halted the Orange County Fairgrounds' sale after a group of companies that failed in their bid to buy the property filed a lawsuit.

The restraining order issued by Judge Frederick P. Horne Wednesday stopped the state's General Services Department from selling the fairgrounds to Costa Mesa-based Facilities Management West until after a hearing scheduled for next month.

American Fairs & Festivals Inc. and its partner companies accuse the state of structuring its auction for the fairgrounds to favor Facilities Management West. Officials selected the company last month to buy the 150-acre property for $100 million.

General Services Spokesman Eric Lamoureux says his department does not comment on pending litigation. Facilities Management West did not return a call.